The Grand Theater of the Magian Academy has a stone exterior, adorned with carvings of legendary Magians. It opens into a lobby with vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and marble floors etched with mystical runes. Two grand staircases lead to the seating area.
The first-year students sit in the main floor. Behind them, the second, third, and fourth years occupy the lower balconies in ascending order, each tier providing a broader view of the stage.
Above them, a grand upper balcony spans the entire back of the theater, reserved for the professors, alumni Wizards and Sages, and distinguished guests of the academy. The boxes here are richly adorned with velvet curtains and intricate woodwork, offering a more private and elevated view. From this vantage point, they observe the next generation of Magians with watchful eyes.
At the center of it all stood Headmaster Edelweiss Stehlmacht.
The stage itself, framed by an ornate proscenium arch, stands as the heart of the theater. Its crimson velvet curtains hang. Above, mystical lighting rigs are suspended.
From afar, the Headmaster's presence was almost ethereal. Her long, silken white hair cascaded down to her hips, framing her fair, almost porcelain-like skin. The white gown she wore, simple yet elegant, caught the light with a subtle shimmer. She commanded attention without effort, her gaze steady and her voice clear.
"Welcome, freshmen, to the Magian Academy," she began, her tone resonating through the theater. "Today, you stand at the threshold of a journey that will shape your destiny. You come from many places, with many dreams, but here, you are all united by a single purpose: to unlock your potentials in the Mystical Arts and forge your place in history."
Everyone was silent, each student captivated by her words.
"Soon, you will face your first challenge—the Mystical Placement Ceremony. This is not merely a test of knowledge or skills but a moment that will reveal the path you are meant to walk. Embrace it with courage, for it is only the beginning."
Austin listened as he glanced around, looking for familiar faces.
Her gaze swept across the room, lingering briefly as if connecting with each student before continuing. "Good luck to you all," she concluded, her voice softer now. "May you find the strength to rise to your fullest potential."
With that, she stepped away, signaling the end of the ceremony. The students began filing out, their expressions a mix of excitement, apprehension, and determination.
Austin, however, was visibly unfazed. He observed the crowd, noting the unease in some faces and the fiery resolve in others.
***
When Austin entered his assigned lecture hall, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations dimmed, and heads turned, their eyes following him.
Yet Austin paid little attention. His gaze swept the room until it landed on Aidan, who was glaring at him from the back row.
Austin sighed in relief when he noticed Lucian was absent. At least he wouldn't have to endure his incessant chatter.
Aidan's voice cut through the murmurs. "Look at him," he sneered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "The Saintling from a dying breed, acting like he belongs in this era." But to his dismay, no one laughed nor joined in. His attempts to undermine Austin fell flat.
Austin simply raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, but before he could respond, the door opened, and the professor strode in.
The Professor has sharp features, he scanned the room with his piercing blue eyes, commanding silence without a word. His shoulder-length black hair was neatly groomed, complementing his elegant black robe adorned with black ivory accents.
He stepped to the center of the room, his voice smooth and composed. "Welcome, freshmen. I am Professor Rudger Schafer, and I will oversee the first part of your Placement Ceremony."
The professor's gaze swept across the room, ensuring he had everyone's attention before continuing.
"The Placement Ceremony has two parts. The first is the Mystical Class Placement," he explained, his voice steady. "I'm sure many of you have already heard the rumors. This examination will determine whether you will walk the Track of a Mage or a Scholar—of which class you certainly belong. Once you complete your examination, your papers will stop revealing any texts. That's your queue to proceed directly to the Academy's Arena for the second part of the Ceremony."
The room stirred with whispers, but Professor Schafer raised a hand, silencing them.
He allowed the students a moment to absorb this information before continuing. "The second part is the Mystical Staff Succession. More details will be provided there."
"""..."""
"No one will know your final class placements," he continued sternly. "Nor you will receive any form of confirmation 'til tomorrow, when the results are already posted on the 'Notice Board' in front of the Magian's Tower—the tallest structure in the heart of this academy. If you don't know where that is, know it soon."
"""..."""
"Your time begins now!"
With that, he gestured toward their desks, each equipped with a blank paper glowing faintly.
The room filled with the sound of shuffling chairs and nervous breaths as the students began their test.
Austin's eyes locked onto the empty paper before him as the exam began. The first question hovered at the top, written in an elegant script. He read softly, "Do you aspire to become a Scholar or a Mage?"
This, of course, was a test in itself, though It was too direct.
He wrote "Scholar" without hesitation.
The word glowed briefly before fading along with the question, and the parchment shifted, revealing the next question. The ink shimmering faintly.
"A village is under attack, and you have only enough resources to save half the population. Do you prioritize saving the strongest who can rebuild or the weakest who cannot fend for themselves? Explain your reasoning."
Austin glanced around briefly, noticing some students biting their nails nervously, others furrowing their brows in intense concentration. The weight of the Placement Ceremony seemed to press on everyone.
He dipped his quill in the ink, the soft scratch of the nib breaking the silence as he answered the second question.
"This scenario assumes I've already graduated from the Magian Academy. If so, then I trust that the Academy already equipped me with enough resources to save the entire village. I am confident I will have the strength to ensure no one is left behind. Planning for anything less would mean I failed before even starting."
He leaned back slightly, rereading his answer. Satisfied, he moved on.
"During the Placement Exam, you discover someone cheating. What do you do?"
Austin tapped the quill against the edge of the desk, his gaze narrowing as he thought through the implications. Cheating at the Academy was almost unthinkable with its stringent oversight. He glanced at the other answering students and back to his paper. It wasn't his place to question the Academy's systems or take action into his own hands. Slowly, he began writing:
"I have complete faith in the Academy's ability to oversee their examinations, ensuring fairness. Cheating would undoubtedly be detected, and I trust the institution will handle the matter appropriately. It is not my role to intervene in the Academy's practices unless explicitly asked to do so. Respecting their authority is paramount."
The words flowed naturally.
"If presented with an ancient text containing forbidden knowledge that could grant great power but risks destabilizing the balance of the Mystical Arts, would you read it? Why or why not?"
Austin paused longer, he considered the layers of complexity. Most Magians would instinctively refuse, citing fears of curses or forbidden knowledge—an approach that seemed overly cautious for a curious Magian. Yet, diving in without hesitation would appear equally reckless. Instead, Austin viewed the question through a different lens, crafting an answer grounded in both logic and instinct.
"A Magian who truly understands the Mystical Arts does not fear knowledge but expects its potential consequences. After safely assimilating with it, comes its responsibility. A sword can defend or destroy. The wielder decides its purpose."
Austin's answer wasn't just confident—it was methodical, and rooted in an understanding of a Magian's responsibility. It conveyed both his hunger for knowledge and his respect for its dangers.
"What is the one truth about yourself that you avoid acknowledging, even when you're alone?"
Austin frowned, his hand resting lightly on the parchment. This question was different, more personal. He set the quill down and laced his fingers together, staring at the words.
After a moment, he picked up the quill again, the scratch of his writing slower this time. He recalled the lost peaceful times with his parents, the fears he couldn't shake off, and how he ended up enrolling in the academy. He thought about the sudden changes in this life that seems out of his control.
Austin leaned back in his chair after he finished writing his answer, glancing around at his peers. Some looked pale, their quills trembling as they wrote. Others tapped their feet nervously, erasing and rewriting their answers.
As he turned back to his paper, the next question suddenly appeared before him, the ink fading into existence.
The sixth question appeared, its elegant script illuminated against the faint glow of the parchment.
"What lies at the heart of a Magian's power?"
Austin read it once, then twice, before a small smirk formed on his lips. This wasn't some personal questions nor veiled riddle. It was basic knowledge—a fact drilled into every Magian student through their earliest studies.
"Mana," he wrote simply, the quill gliding smoothly across the paper.
So, it's shifted, he thought. Austin straightened slightly, his fingers tapping the edge of the desk.
The following questions diverged sharply from the initial personality-based inquiries. They were now more precise, each one exploring theoretical principles, deductive reasoning, and applications of the Mystical Arts. It didn't take long for Austin to realize the shift wasn't random—it was tailored to his first answer: Scholar.
A question asked him to evaluate the structural integrity of an enchantment based on provided parameters. Another presented an incomplete rune sequence, asking him to deduce its missing element.
Austin worked swiftly. He not only thrive in displays of raw power but in problem-solving and deciphering intricate systems. Thank you, Akasha.
One question stood out:
"A bridge collapses due to mana instability. Explain the root cause and propose a solution to prevent future failures."
Austin paused for a moment, letting the details of the problem sink in. He could practically see the diagram in his mind with Akasha's help, the hypothetical currents of mana weaving through the structure. His quill quickly wrote his response.
"The root cause lies in improper mana flow regulation, leading to accumulation at stress points. A balanced rune sequence with adaptive modulation would stabilize the energy and prevent collapse."
The parchment absorbed his answer, glowing faintly as if in approval.
Austin continued through the test, finally reaching a trance state.
By the time he reached the end, Austin set his quill down and glanced around the room. Many of the students were still furrowing their brows, their quills hovering hesitantly over their papers. A few others had already slumped back in their chairs, their expressions a mix of frustration and exhaustion.
Austin, however, leaned back. If the goal was to gauge his potential as a Scholar, he knew he had left little room for doubt.